Event
Winners of DMCCxAGCC: Global AI Competition *Sustainability Edition
Written by Cain Rothe, 16. October 2024The DMCC x AGCC: Global AI Challenge *Sustainability Edition focused on practical, scalable AI solutions for sustainability with a total prize of $100,000. With over 600 global applicants, five finalists showcased innovative ideas to address real-world challenges. QALA AI, Connect Earth, and Sierrabase emerged as the top winners, receiving prizes to help scale their impact in the GCC.
DMCC x AGCC Challenge spotlighted scalable AI for sustainability, with finalists tackling carbon tracking, smart cities, and infrastructure
One of the more interesting things about innovation is how the most impactful ideas are often the most practical. This was the central theme of the DMCC x AGCC: Global AI Challenge – Sustainability Edition at Expand North Star 2024. It wasn’t just about big ideas or abstract concepts. Instead, the competition focused on something that actually matters: applying AI to sustainability in ways that can be scaled and implemented in the real world.
The response was overwhelming, with over +100 global applicants from across Europe, the US, India, Asia, and the Middle East. This global participation showed just how universal the drive is to apply AI to sustainability—especially when there’s real potential to make a difference in the GCC region.
After 2 rounds of screening, we ended up with five strong and innovative finalists:
Connect Earth: AI-driven carbon measurement tools that help businesses understand and reduce their carbon footprints.
QALA AI: Experts in geospatial city analytics, building ecosystems where AI supports smart cities globally.
Sierrabase: Autonomous robotic platforms for infrastructure monitoring—think bridges, tunnels, and construction sites.
Smartr.AI: An AI engine helping developers create scalable, vendor-independent code faster.
VisualCamp: Eye-tracking technology that transforms literacy education through personalized diagnostics.
The response was overwhelming, with over +100 global applicants from across Europe, the US, India, Asia, and the Middle East. This global participation showed just how universal the drive is to apply AI to sustainability—especially when there’s real potential to make a difference in the GCC region.
After 2 rounds of screening, we ended up with five strong and innovative finalists:
Connect Earth: AI-driven carbon measurement tools that help businesses understand and reduce their carbon footprints.
QALA AI: Experts in geospatial city analytics, building ecosystems where AI supports smart cities globally.
Sierrabase: Autonomous robotic platforms for infrastructure monitoring—think bridges, tunnels, and construction sites.
Smartr.AI: An AI engine helping developers create scalable, vendor-independent code faster.
VisualCamp: Eye-tracking technology that transforms literacy education through personalized diagnostics.
QALA AI, Connect Earth, and Sierrabase won top honors, offering practical, scalable solutions to drive sustainability in the GCC.
The real magic happens when these startups take the stage. After thoughtful pitches and detailed Q&A sessions, the judges made their decision:
🥇 QALA AI
🥈 Connect Earth
🥉 Sierrabase
What made these winners stand out wasn’t just the technology itself, but how well it aligned with the competition’s goal: practical, scalable solutions that make a real impact on sustainability.
QALA AI claimed the top prize of $60,000 in value, with $30,000 in cash and a full DMCC company setup package, plus access to a 3-month AGCC Acceleration Program featuring mentorship and investor meetings.
Connect Earth, the second-place winner, received $25,000 in value, including $15,000 in cash and the same DMCC setup package.
Sierrabase took third place, earning $15,000 in value, with $5,000 in cash and a DMCC setup package.
The judges, seasoned experts, sought practical, scalable solutions suited to thrive in the GCC:
Alessio Garofalo, CIO/CTO at Oxagon NEOM, with deep expertise in AI and logistics.
Luca Barbi, General Partner at STV, specializing in identifying high-growth startups.
Salman Amiri, Manager at DMCC AI Centre, focusing on the technical innovation and business impact in the region.
Han Gust, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at AGCC, with a background in launching and scaling tech ventures across multiple regions.
🥇 QALA AI
🥈 Connect Earth
🥉 Sierrabase
What made these winners stand out wasn’t just the technology itself, but how well it aligned with the competition’s goal: practical, scalable solutions that make a real impact on sustainability.
QALA AI claimed the top prize of $60,000 in value, with $30,000 in cash and a full DMCC company setup package, plus access to a 3-month AGCC Acceleration Program featuring mentorship and investor meetings.
Connect Earth, the second-place winner, received $25,000 in value, including $15,000 in cash and the same DMCC setup package.
Sierrabase took third place, earning $15,000 in value, with $5,000 in cash and a DMCC setup package.
The judges, seasoned experts, sought practical, scalable solutions suited to thrive in the GCC:
Alessio Garofalo, CIO/CTO at Oxagon NEOM, with deep expertise in AI and logistics.
Luca Barbi, General Partner at STV, specializing in identifying high-growth startups.
Salman Amiri, Manager at DMCC AI Centre, focusing on the technical innovation and business impact in the region.
Han Gust, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at AGCC, with a background in launching and scaling tech ventures across multiple regions.
Beyond prizes, this competition drives real-world AI innovation. Finalists gain cash, mentorship, and investor exposure to scale solutions for impactful challenges.
Competitions like this aren’t just about awarding prizes; they’re about pushing innovation forward. All the finalists are walking away with something tangible—whether that’s cash, services, mentorship, or investor exposure and connections. Both DMCC and AGCC are committed to ensuring that these startups have what they need to scale their solutions.
But the bigger picture is clear: this isn’t just another tech pitch contest. It’s a sign that AI is moving out of theoretical conversations and into real-world applications. AI solutions, like the ones we’ve seen here, have the power to address real challenges—things like sustainability, urban growth, and infrastructure. That’s where the real impact lies.
But the bigger picture is clear: this isn’t just another tech pitch contest. It’s a sign that AI is moving out of theoretical conversations and into real-world applications. AI solutions, like the ones we’ve seen here, have the power to address real challenges—things like sustainability, urban growth, and infrastructure. That’s where the real impact lies.
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